Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1887-10-05

Startling Adventnrs Of Lady TeIe-
grapheF.

Rittsburg Dispatch: Ieiegrapn gp-
orators are often very common place
people. They listen daily TO The click
Of the instrument, and, beyond this
monotonous repetition Of sound nothing
very often happen to disturb the tran
quil surface Of their every day exist
ence. Occasionally one is found, how
ever, who has had d thrilling exper-
ience. IN fact, It requires no small
amount Of courage to sit IN lonely
watch tower at night away out in the
country along q railroad. It takes
considerable TACT to handle tramss and
unrulY persons who may be passing.
and are always willing, It seems to
create trouble at any cost. II is sur
prising how many Of the fair sex, weak,
delicate creatures, as man has seen tit
to call women, have taken to telegra-
ply for . means Of obtaining liveli-
hood. and what q degree Of nerve and
| irmness they display under trying and
dangerous circumstances. Men have
net ceased to recount the one daring
exploit sf Grace Darling or to speak
with pride Of the manly heroism dis
played by Florence Nightingale.
.Not long ago." said a gentleman
recently in conversation with Dis
patch reporter. II met most singu-
| lar and daring woman in little town ii
the west. She was telegraph oper-
ator, and q very good one, too.
Though fifty years old. she was still
fresh and
FULL or vrGoR.
Her piercing black eyes, closely shut
lips and fine gray hair brushed back
from low brow, bespoke very plainly
| to close observer that this woman at
least was not one Of the kind that
shrieks and falnts away in an enler-
gency.
s.She related to me an adventure she
had with a robber in her early days,
which, connected with strange freak
Of the telegraph instrument, is worth
relating.
q In my early days. she said, a
number of years ago; was the rail
| road operator in a little western town
| in an entirely new and unsettled coun-
TRY. It was during the gold excite
ment and people were coming and go
ing all the time. It was no uncommon
occurrence for box Of gold to be sent
by express, and the greatest diligence
| and care were required on the part OF
the trainmen to see that they were not
| robbed of their precious burden.
.One afternoon an express traiE ar
rived and left at the station in my care
box of money, the amount / do not
| remember. Later in the day a rough
box containing the body of a man who
had been killed was landed on the plat
form, and it was found it could not be
removed until the next day. Well,
both boxes were carried in, and !
confess it was not very pleas
ant to sleep with golden treas
ure on one side and q ifeless body
on the other. There was no remedy,
however, and had to put up with the
| arrangement. As the money had been
forwarded very quietly, / felt confident
that no one knew anything about it,
| and 80 was not troubled with any seri-
GUS apprehensions.
aTLe night proved TO be very dark
and it began to rain. I had been lying
awake for some time watching the
bright scintilations, Of the lightning
from the wires when distinctly and
clearly across the line came the start
ling message: Watch that box, watch
that box I sprang up at once and
tried to find out from whom the mes.
sage came. / telegraphed to q number
of points but no one knew anything
about it. Finally came to the con-
clusion that had been dreaming, and
retired. / had scarcely got into bed
when the strange message was heard
again. This time it was more distinct
and the instrument began to click at a
lively rate, repeating the words over
and over again. Watch that box,
4 watch that box
At once I got up and pulled out a
heavy Colts revolver that had been
rusting in that Office, and found to my
borrow it wouldn't work. was afraid
4 to go near the box containing the dead
man; for row felt sure that a livf
one was in it. The treasure was toe
heavy for me to carry. and to 60 out
and leave it for a moment would have
given the villain in the box an oppor,
tunity to take it. What to do scarcely
4 knew. The instrument clicked, clicked
and the same short line message wal
repeated over and over again. By ait
Of a Pickering light I could see tn,
rough box very plainly at the othel
end Of the station. 1t gave no signs o
life. Finally secreted myself behint
| dry goods box where could see ant
not be seen and held in my hand an
i iron bar and the old rusty revolver
these were the only weapons of defens,
4 I had. Z did not wait very long be
4 foreI thought / saw the lid OF the cot
! fin move. / was not mistaken, either
Pretty soon it was pushed gently aside
and the head of the most villainous
looking man was pushed out. / saw
through the whole scheme now, ant
well it had been planned. He got on
from his temporary sepulcher and lit !
dark lantern. He moved cautiousl,
I about. evidently searching for TIL
treasure. As he drew closer ant
II .Iroov. ~ xyhara I vuae 7 x1ac afxa I.